The Institute of Chartered and Works Accountants of India (ICWA), southern region, saw a drop in salary levels offered in the seventh edition of campus placements. About 305 candidates who cleared the final exams appeared for placements, with 166 candidates bagging offers.

“The minimum salary offered this year was Rs 3.5 lakh per annum and the maximum salary offered was Rs 7 lakh. This is lower than the salary levels of between Rs 6- 14 lakh offered last year,” Raju Iyer, chairman of coaching committee of ICWA, said. This year’s recruiters included Rane Holdings, Scope International, BGR Energy Systems, Lucas TVS and TVS Electronics.

Iyer noted that the focus of the campus placement was on manufacturing companies, where the demand for cost accountants has risen.

ICWA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Institute of Chartered and Management Accountants of Oman to design their course curriculum. It has also entered an understanding with UK-based Chartered Institute of Management Accountants to allow mutual advance entry for students into both of the accountancy bodies’ professional examinations.

The institute has also launched a slew of training programs for knowledge upgradation of its members. For an annual subscription of Rs 8,000, companies would be permitted to participate in at least ten equivalent training programs/workshops organised by the Institute.